Hand telephone



April 18, 1950 J. F. DALTON 2,504, 01.

HAND TELEPHONE Filed Aug. 24, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE/VTOR JGHIVHWWUS DAL TQM Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STAT-ES "PATENT OFFICE HANDTELEPHONE John Francis Dalton, Springfield, N J :assignor to BellTelephone Laboratories, .1 Incorporated,

New York, N. Y., a corporationof New York :Application'August 24, 1945,Serial No. 612,477

.9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to hand telephones and mo'reparticularly tomicrophones including -a circuit controlling element for operativelyassoc'iating'the microphone with a telephone circuit.

One object of this invention isto facilitate the use of hand telephonesand more specifically to enable ready operation of-the circuitcontrolling element'in microphones including such an ele- ":ment.

Another object of this invention is to assure comfortable use of handheld microphones including a circuit controlling element.

:Axfurther objectofthis invention is to increase the 3 operating life ofhand telephones used in -l'ocations, such as-on ships and in tropicalareas, where iadverse'moisture-conditions are encoun- .ztered.

In:one illustrative embodiment of this invention, a hand telephonecomprises a handle or Jhousinghav-ing "a switch therein'and a microphonemounted upon the handle'or housing and associated electrically'withtheswitch' to be connected in or' disconnectedfrom a telephonecircuit byaoperation of theswitch.

Inaccordance with one feature of this-invention, a mechanical controlsystem is provided for-the-switch, including an actuating memberadapted-to be engaged by the upper li-p of tl're la s-or the user of thetelephone andthe microphone is positioned upon the handle-or housing so''that whenthe actuating member is placed aga'inst'the upper lip themicrophone is located automatically in: proximity to the mouth of l theuser.

In accordance with another feature of this invention, the actuatingmember comprises a bridge 'piece'having a surface contoured to coni-formsubstantially to the upper lip 'ofthe user, thebridgepiece being coupledto the-actuating or operating-element of the-switch by a substantiallyfrictionless linkage, whereby the switch may'be operated by slightpressure upon the bridge piece and such pressure is distributed over a-substantial area f the upper lip of the user.

-"In-accordance with a further featureof this invention, the couplingbetween the bridge'piece "and' the switch is constructed and arranged so:that'locking or failure of this coupling bynonuniformpressuredistributionover the bridge piece is prevented.

In accordance with still another feature of this invention, means areprovided for preventing entrance of'moisture into the handle or housing,asby way oi'the coupling'between'the' bridge piece and the'housing.

telephone, portions being broken away to show details; and

Fig. -5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly insection, showingdetails of "the actuating sys term for the switch.

f'Reierring nowto the drawing, the hand telephone thereinillustratedcomprises'a handle or housing, for examplemolded of insulating mate'-rial such *aS-a phenolic condensation product,

having a cup-shaped portion In provided with flutes H in its outersurface, an intermediate portion l2 affixed to the portion In by screwsl3 threaded into tapped inserts M embedded in the portion l0, and acover 15 secured to the intermediate portion by screws [6 threaded intotapped inserts ll embedded in the intermediate portion.

Extendingfrom the base of the cup-shaped portion i0 is a multiconductorcord la'having thereon a softrubber collar [9 which is compressedbetween cooperating locking nuts 20 and -2'l'to form a moisture-proof'seal 'between'the cord and the :housing, the nut 20 being embedded inthe housingportion' l0. 7

"Mounted within the housing'portion .lll is a switch'22 havinganactuating member 23. The switch is of conventional construction and"of thetype wherein the contacts thereof are closed when the actuatingmember 23 is depressed and are opened when the actuating member isreleased.

The" actuating member 23 engages the central thickenedportion 24' of aresilient di'aphragm25, advantageously of soft rubber, the thickenedperiphery of which is clamped between the intermediate andcupshape'd'portions l2 and Ill re spectively, of the housingland forms amoisture-.-

tight seal therebetween. Seated upon'the portion 24 of the diaphragm 25and positioned within a central aperture in the wall '26-.oflitheintermediate housinghportion. i2 is ..aspherical ball or. bearing 2!which isengagedby an'inclined rigid'finger '28 mounted'by aflbarQZQ'.Thebar 2Q is coupled at its ends to a pair of parallel drive pins fittedslidably in sleeves or bearings 3i embedded in the intermediate portionl2 of the housing. The coupling between the bar and pins is loose andconstituted by headed studs 32 upon the rods which pass throughoversized apertures 33 in the barjso that some play between the bar androds and toggle-like action of the coupling is permitted whereby seizurebetween the pins and the bearings therefor is prevented and mo-'- tionof the bar results from longitudinal displacement of either pin.

The bar 29 normally is forced against an inner wall of th intermediatehousing portion l2 by a spring 34 aiiixed to the bar, as by rivets 35,so that the finger 28 loosely engages the ball 2! and is in the positionrelative thereto illustrated in the drawing, whereby the actuatingmember 23 1 is released. The drive pins are secured attheir outer endsto a bridge member 36 the surface 31 -of which is contoured to conformsubstantially to the upper lip of the user of the hand telephone. Inorder to prevent entrance of moisture into the housing through thesleeves or bearings 3|, soft rubber sleeves 38 aiiixed, as by cementing,to the pins 30 and sleeves 3| are provided. As shown clearly in Fig. 5,the sleeves or bearings 3| project beyond the face of the housingportion l2 adjacent thereto and, thus, serve as stops to limit motion ofthe bridge member 36 to- ;ward the housing.

Mounted upon the housing portion l2 and opposite the bridge member 36 isa bent support member 39 which carries a pair of terminals 40 insulatedfrom each other and the support member. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4,terminals 40 are connected by tie wires 4! to tabs 42 which areconnected electrically to respective tabs 43 by screws 44 threaded intoeyelets 45 embedded inmicrophone, which advantageously is of the noise;

housing portion 12 and forms a moisture-tight seal therebetween.

In use of the hand telephone, the surface 31 of the bridge member 36 isplaced against the upper 'lip of the user whereby the microphone 4'!automatically is positioned opposite the mouth of the .user. The bridgemember is pressed against the lip so that the finger piece 28 rides overthe ball or bearing 21 and the latter is moved to depress the actuatingmember 23 for the switch 22, where- 'by the microphone circuit iscompleted. Upon release of pressure against the bridge member, thismember moves outward to a point near the 'end of its travel whereuponthe actuating member is released and this circuit is opened. Because ofthe ball or bearing 27 and finger piece 28 association, and also theloose coupling between the bar 29 and drive pins 30, but very littleresistance in addition to that afforded by the spring 34, is

afforded to operation of the switch so that the switch can be heldoperated by very little pressure upon the bridge member 36 andcomfortable use of the telephone is assured. Similarly, because 'of thevery small frictional resistance provided by "the actuating system, thespring 34 is e'ffective'to prevented.

assure positive opening of the microphone circuit when the bridge member33 is moved away from the lip of the user of the telephone. Moreover,the motion of the upper lip in speaking i slight so that the bridgemember when actuated to effect closing of the microphone circuit doesnot substantially interfere with or impede normal speaking of the userof the telephone nor materially affect the intelligibility of the speechpicked up by the microphone. Small motions of the bridgemember will notefiect operation of the switch 22 so that false operation during use isIt will be appreciated that not only is the switch housed in amoisture-tight enclosure but also the elements, such as the ball orbearing 27 and spring 34, within the housing portion [2 and theconnections between the microphone and the switch, excepting theterminals 48 which are readily cleaned, are protected against moisture.Thus, the hand telephone is capable of long use in exposed situations,such as on ships or in tropical areas; where adverse moisture conditionsare encountered.

Although a specific embodiment of this invention has been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that it is but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hand telephone comprising a housing, a switch within said housingand having an actuating member, a pair of drive pins extending slidablythrough a wall of said housing, a bridge member coupled to said pinsoutside of said housing, means mechanically linking said pins to saidactuating member for operating said member in response to motion of saidpins into or out of said housing, and a microphone mounted by saidhousing and positioned adjacent said bridge member .so that when saidbridge member is placed against the upper lip of the user of thetelephone said microphone is opposite the mouth of the user.

2. A hand telephone in accordance with claim 1 comprising means definingwith said housing a moisture-proof enclosure for said switch, and meansa defining a moisture-proof seal between said wall and, said drive pins.

3. A hand telephone in accordance with claim 1 comprising meansincluding a diaphragm constituting a part of said linking means definingwith said housing a moisture-proof enclosure for said switch.

4. In a hand telephone, a housing having a first .hollow portion open atone end, a switch within said portion and having a reciprocableactuating member opposite said one end, a diaphragm extending over saidend and having a portion engaging said actuating member, said housinghaving a second hollow portion seated upon said diaphragm, a freelyrotatable member seated upon. said diaphragm portion and mounted by saidsecond housing portion for free displacement in the direction ofreciprocation of said actuating member, a drive pin extending slidably.through a wall of said second housing portion and at an angle to saiddirection, and an inclined finger piece coupled to said pin and engagingsaid rotatable member.

5. In a hand telephone, the combination defined in claim 4 comprisingresilient means defining a moisture-tight seal between said pin and saidsecond wall portion, and means including said diaphragm and said secondhousing portion a defining a moisture-tight enclosure for said rotatablemember and said finger piece.

6. In a hand telephone, a housing having a cup-shaped portion, a switchWithin said portion and having a reciprocable actuating member adjacentthe open end thereof, a resilient member overlying said open end andhaving a portion engaging said actuating member, said housing having asecond portion overlying said resilient member and provided with anaperture opposite said diaphra m portion, a spherical member within saidaperture and seated against said portion of said resilient member, andmeans including a member extending through a wall of said second housingportion and reciprocable at an angle to the direction of reciprocationof said actuating member for depressing said spherical member thereby tooperate said actuating memher.

7. In a hand telephone, a housing having a cup-shaped portion, a switchwithin said portion and having a reciprocable actuating member adjacentthe open end thereof, a resilient member overlying said open end andhaving a portion engaging said actuating member, said housing having asecond portion overlying said resilient member and provided with anaperture opposite said portion of said resilient member, a sphericalmember within said aperture and seated against said portion of saidresilient member, a pair of substantially parallel drive pins extendingslidably through a wall of said second housing portion and atsubstantially right angles to the direction in which said actuatingmember is reciprocable, and a finger piece engaging said sphericalmember, coupled to said drive pins and inclined with respect to saiddirection.

8. In a hand telephone, the combination defined in claim 7 wherein saidresilient member is a moisture-tight diaphragm and which comprises meansdefining with said second housing portion and said diaphragm amoisture-tight enclosure for said spherical member and finger piece,said means including resilient members afiixed to said drive pins andforming moisture-tight seals therebetween and said second housingportion.

9. A hand telephone comprising a housing, a switch within said housingand having an actuating member reciprocable parallel to the axis of saidhousing, a resilient diaphragm within said housing and having a portionin engagement with said actuating member, said housing having atransverse wall therein provided with an aperture adjacent saiddiaphragm portion, a ball bearing within said aperture and seated uponsaid diaphragm portion, a finger piece engaging said bearing andinclined with respect to said axis, a bar coupled to said finger pieceand mounted within said housing for motion normal to said axis to forcesaid finger piece over said bearing, drive pins extending slidablythrough a wall of said housing, substantially normal to said axis andcoupled to said bar for actuating it, a bridge piece external to saidhOusing and joining said drive pins, said bridge piece having a surfacecontoured to conform substantially to the upper lip of the user of thetelephone, and a microphone mounted by said housing adjacent said bridgepiece to be opposite the mouth of the user when said bridge piece isplaced against the upper lip.

JOHN FRANCIS DALTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,298,217 Jenkins Mar. 25, 19191,341,358 Chapin May 25, 1920 1,352,939 Booth Sept. 14, 1920 2,039,625Blount May 5, 1936 2,066,092 Brown Dec. 29, 1936 2,301,184 Arnold Nov.10, 1942

